As I sat in the assembly the other day, it occurred to me how much like a “pep-rally” our church services can be.  When I was in High School, we had pep-rallies every Friday afternoon, just before school let out for the week.  Usually, the cheerleaders would get things started with a rousing cheer.  That activity kind of reminds me of our song services.  Of course, I am taking some poetic license here.  Singing is, first and foremost, intended to praise God, but it also has a positive effect upon us.  In praising God, our spirits are also lifted.  How many times have you heard a preacher thank the congregation for such fine participation in the song service, and how it encourages him in his efforts?

Next, the coach would get up and speak about things like hard work, attitude, and extra-effort.  He would also talk about how important the fans are.  “The 12th Man”, they were often called.  Then, he would go over a bit of the game plan and end up by promising a grand victory over the opposing team that night.  Sort of like a preacher, encouraging the congregation to “fight the good fight” and to live the proper Christian life.

In the end, the whole school would join in a heart rendering version of our old alma mater.   Filled with confidence and a renewed conviction to support the team, we would then file out, excited about the future.  That night, fans would fill the stadium, ready to cheer the team on to victory. 

But, of course, there were those who didn’t go to the pep-rallies.  Some folks had become indifferent to the prospects of supporting the team.  Often, they would even lose interest, to the point of not even going to the games.  Without a good pep-rally to get their blood flowing, they lost their “school spirit” and just sat at home on Friday nights, unconcerned about the efforts of the local team.  As for how this compares to the church, well, I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.